A jury Friday awarded more than $7.6 million in damages to a Mission Hills attorney who was rendered a paraplegic when a giant palm tree fell on him outside his home, crushing his legs.

A jury Friday awarded more than $7.6 million in damages to a Mission Hills attorney who was rendered a paraplegic when a giant palm tree fell on him outside his home, crushing his legs.

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A judge Friday rejected efforts by the city of San Diego to avoid paying more than $7.6 million in damages awarded to a local attorney after a giant palm tree fell on him and crushed his legs.

The city had asked the court for a new trial and for a decision to overturn the multi-million dollar earlier jury verdict.

Attorney Michael Burke suffered paralysis of the lower half of his body on Jan, 21, 2010, when the 60-foot, 2,600-pound, Queen Palm toppled following a four-day storm.

Burke sued the city of San Diego, claiming it was responsible for the accident in Mission Hills because it had cut back on yearly inspections and maintenance of trees due to budget constraints.

A jury in December awarded Burke and his wife, Edith, millions of dollars in lost earnings and medical expenses.

Jurors found that the Queen Palm was in a "dangerous condition" when it fell on Burke. The jury also found that the city had notice of the tree's condition with enough time to do something about it.

City attorneys told the jury that the tree toppling was an "act of God" that could not have been foreseen. They said the city never received complaints about the condition of the tree before it fell.

To date, Burke has undergone 14 surgeries and there is a high probability that he will have to undergo bilateral, below-the-knee amputations due to the severity of his injuries, according to his legal team.

A five year old girl's dream came true today with the help of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Leona, who lives in San Marcos and is battling cancer, wished to have the ultimate pirate ship playhouse in her backyard.

A five year old girl's dream came true today with the help of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Leona, who lives in San Marcos and is battling cancer, wished to have the ultimate pirate ship playhouse in her backyard.

Few of us really know how our coworkers spend their time when they are off the clock. In Thursday's Zevely Zone, Jeff gets to know Ryan Brothers - a writer here at KFMB Stations and News 8 - who put his own signature on Mission Trails Regional Park.

Few of us really know how our coworkers spend their time when they are off the clock. In Thursday's Zevely Zone, Jeff gets to know Ryan Brothers - a writer here at KFMB Stations and News 8 - who put his own signature on Mission Trails Regional Park.

At least one person was killed Saturday morning in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 5 in San Diego.

At least one person was killed Saturday morning in a wrong-way crash on Interstate 5 in San Diego. The crash was reported at 3:51 a.m. on northbound I-5 north of Carmel Mountain Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A local company is on the cutting edge of ocean exploration using unmanned vehicles powered by wind and sun and the future looks bright for these ocean drones, which currently are being tested off the coast of San Diego.

A local company is on the cutting edge of ocean exploration using unmanned vehicles powered by wind and sun and the future looks bright for these ocean drones, which currently are being tested off the coast of San Diego.